Further Action
to Bar Nazis From
NY Schools Eyed
NEW YORK, Feb. 24 (JTA) —
Plans to bar the New York City
Board of Education from allowing
the neo-Nazi National Renaissaince
party to use a public school audi-
torium for a meeting were being
pondered by the Anti-Defamation
League of Bnai Brith.
An ADL spokesman, denouncing
the board's decision again, said the
agency's attorneys were deciding
on whether to appeal to New York
State Education Commissioner
James E. Allen or to seek a court
injunction against the board. The
tiny Nazi Party, which has a re-
cord of disseminating anti-Semitic
and anti-Negro propaganda, has
received permission to meet in a
school building here March 18.
The spokesman said it was "out-
rageous" that a school building
should be "misused" by a Nazi
.grotrp which "is neither a political
organization nor serves any worth-
while civic or social function" and
therefore has "no valid claim to
use the tax-supported public
schools to disseminate its poison."
R.4). Leonard Farbstein, New
York Democrat, joined in the pro-
test with an appeal to the board
to reconsider its ruling.
* is
Agitator Takes Fifth
as Klan Hearings End
WASHINGTON (JTA) — The
House Committee on Un-American
Activities terminated its public
hearings on the Ku Klux Klan last
tvec_k with questioning of an anti-
Semitic agitator, J. B. Stoner, of
'Augusta, Ga., former Klan organ-
izer and leader of various anti-
Jewish extremist groups.
When Stoner took the Fifth
Amendment and refused to ans-
wer questions, Rep. Joe Pool,
Texas Democrat, who served as
acting chairman, said the Klan's
tactics "let the American people
know what kind of dirty rats you
are." Rep. Pool said the next step
is to draft laws to deal with hate
groups and Klan-like activities.
Israel Universities to Get
Increased Grants in '66-67
JERUSALEM (ZINS) — The
grants to institutions of higher
learning in Israel will be increased
in 1966-67. The Hebrew University
_in Jerusalem will receive 28,700,000
pounds; the Haifa Technion —
14,500,000 pounds; Tel Aviv Uni-
versity-4,000,000 pounds and Bar
Ilan University 2,300,000 pounds.
She is good and honored who is
dead and buried.
—Spanish Proverb
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Boris Smolar's
Weekly Quiz
By RABBI SAMUEL J. FOX
(Copyright, 1966, JTA, Inc.)
'Between You
..and Me'
Why does Jewish tradition re-
quire the altar (the Bimah—the
platform from which the Torah
is read) to be located in the cen-
ter of the synagogue?
By BORIS SMOLAR
(copyright, 1966, JTA, Inc.)
Maimonides explains that this is
done so that the worshipers in the
synagogue will be able to hear the
Torah being read from there (Laws
of Prayer 1:3). He mentions that
the King in ancient Israel read
the Torah from a large wooden
platform located in the center of
the Temple Court (Laws of Cha-
gigah 3:4). Another reason alluded
to by Maimonides is that the Jew-
ish communities would make a cir-
cuit around the altar every day
of the Succoth Festival in the syna-
gogue (Laws. of Lulav 7:23). The
Talmud writes that the famous
large synagogue in Alexandria had
a wooden altar in its center (Suc-
cah 51B). Other reasons are given
by later authorities. Some say this
is because the Tabernacle in the
wilderness was located in the cen-
ter of the camp of Israel which
surrounded it on all sides. Some
say that the people of Israel en-
circled the mountain of Sinai from
which the Torah was given at the
time of the Revelation. Generally
speaking, having the altar in the
center of the synagogue brings a
closer relationship between the
Torah and the worshippers, as well
as it does between the cantor and
the worshippers. This integrates
the congregation rather than hold-
ing the cantor, reader, rabbi, or
the Torah itself as aloof and far
beyond the reach of the congrega-
tion. This is a noble portrayal of
the democratic ideal of Jewish
tradition, which few religions have
been able to reach.
* * *
COMMUNAL AFFAIRS: Exciting gains in fund-raising are being
reported from many communities where the local Jewish Federations
and Welfare Funds have embarked on the 1966 campaigns. Early
campaign returns show increases ranging from 11 to 40 per cent
compared with similar returns last year. Among the communities
where the local federation and welfare fund campaigns show strong
increases are Detroit, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Baltimore,
Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, Miami, Newark, San Francisco,
Dallas, Hartford, Indianapolis, Houston, Buffalo, Phoenix, Worcester,
and a number of others.
Cleveland raised the largest amount ever achieved at a cam-
paign opening meeting in that community—$2,135,000. Detroit raised
in initial gifts $2,600,000, a sparkling gain of $375,000 over last year.
It definitely points to a higher level of fund-raising this year
for local and overseas Jewish needs. •
CULTURAL ACHIEVEMENT: Have you ever heard of a rabbi
conversant with more than 40 languages? Dr. Ernst Klein, a rabbi
of an Orthodox congregation in Toronto, Canada, is the person. And
he has now attracted worldwide attention as the lone compiler of
an entirely new etymological dictionary of the English language.
Published this week by Elsevier Publishing Company,' the scho-
larly volume carries the title "Klein's Comprehensive Etymological
Dictionary of the English Language" and represents the first wholly
new major work of its kind in this century. It is the result of 20
years of research which the rabbi started after he was liberated by
American troops from the notorious Nazi camp in Dachau where his
wife and only son were killed by the Nazis. His father—also a re-
nowned rabbi and scholar—perished in the Nazi Auschwitz camp.
One of the innovations in Dr. Klein's dictionary is his system of
transliteration of Semitic words. The dictionary is prefaced by the
Hebrew and Arabic alphabets, and for the first time Hebrew and
Aramaic words are transliterated in an etymological dictionary ac-
cording to a system which makes it possible to re-transliterate these
words into their original characters with all the phonetic signs.
ON THE SCENE: Major Jewish organizations, such as the Ameri-
can Jewish Committee and the Anti-Defamation League of Bnai Brith,
are enthusiastic about a Czech film now being shown in New York.
The film, "The Shop on Main Street," was a prize-winner at the
1965 Cannes Film Festival, and the entire New York press has
acclaimed it now as superb in content and in acting.
Why is it that girls do not say
The film depicts the tragedy of two "ordinary people" caught
Kaddish?
in the early days of World War II by focusing on an old Jewish
One really has to understand
woman and a good-natured Slovak carpenter. It becomes a moving
and personal account of Fascist-inspired anti-Semitism in a Slovak the basic purpose of the Kaddish
town, rather than a mass picture of the war and the holocaust to Which makes it clear as to why
which we have become so accustomed in the last two decades. The girls would not be involved in this
Jewish woman is warmly presented by the prominent Yiddish actress, performance. The kaddish is a pub-
Ida Kaminska, of Poland, and the simple carpenter is brilliantly lic performance in the synagogue
which the mourning son is . re-
portrayed by the Czech actor, Josef Kroner. •
quired to do in order to deMon-
The film is beautifully photographed, well constructed, and the strate and bring to mind the soul
roles sharply outlined. The cruel shock of anti-Semitic persecution
is told in a very moving, intimate and personal way. It could be
described as another holocaust film; but in the opinion of the Jewish
organizations, it is more than just that. Viewers see anti-Semitism
in personalized human terms rather than as an abstraction. The
Complete from Detroit
film also raises questions and gives some answers about guilt, war
crimes and complicity.
Another film of special interest to Jews, which is now enjoying
success in New York, is "The Last Chapter," a documentary on life
and culture of Polish Jewry which was destroyed by the Nazis. The
film, written by the well-known Jewish journalist, S. L. Schneider-
man, was sponsored by the American Jewish Congress. • It depicts
Call
the history of Polish Jewry from the Middle Ages and the Renais-
BOOK
-
COPIZENS
sance, through the 20th Century and the Nazi holocaust.
ISRAEL 15 DAYS
$199
of his deceased parent before the
eyes of man and God. The mourn-
ing son is actually acting as the
cantor when he recites the kad-
dish because the congregation re-
sponds to his recitation. Since the
cantor in a synagogue is never a
woman, a girl could therefore
never recite the kaddish, which is
a cantor's function. A girl may do
other public service and render
great acts of leadership among the
women of the community in great
charitable endeavors. These activ-
ities are no less important for the
immortality of the soul than the
kaddish. Kaddish is only one means
of public performance for the sake
of the departed soul. Unfortunate-
ly, for so many it has become the
only means, thus throwing it out
oc proportion to the overall sign-
ificance of the required respon-
sibility of a child to his deceased
parent.
European Body Undertakes
Program for Cuban Jewry
GENEVA (JTA)—The Standing
Conference of European Jewish
Community Services announced it
had undertaken a cash relief pro-
gram to aid more than 300 aged
and destitute Jews in Cuba.
Dr. Astorre Mayer, chairman,
said that contributions totaling
$85,000 had been received to date
for the program, mainly from con-
ference member agencies. Funds
are being sought to sustain a cash
relief program at least for the
duration of 1966. He added that
funds also were being sought to
provide the Cuban Jewish com-
munity, now estimated at about
2,300 persons, with Passover sup-
plies.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
14—Friday, March 11, 1966
My Dear Friends .. .
I am again able, with G d's
help, to open for the PASS-
OVER HOLIDAYS . . . serving
the finest STRICTLY KOSHER
meals and providing the best
entertainment.
-
A well known Rabbi will con-
duct the Sedorim.
Please make your reserva-
tions early . . . write or call ...
NEW YORKER HOTEL
146 Cass Ave., Mt. Clemens, Mich.
HO 8-8012
DETROIT: Mrs. Wiatrak
DI 1-1772
BR 2 2400
-
Charnofsky Describes Ukraine Life;
Book Highly Praised by Harry Lang
"Jewish Life in the Ukraine" by
Michael Charnofsky, published by
Exposition Press (386 Park. S,
NY16), is a deeply moving story.
While it relates the author's life
in the Ukraine, it links it with the
present, accounting for happy set-
tlement in the United States, for
the commencement of a new life,
including farming in the Catskills,
family relationships, ultimate ac-
quisition of residence in Trenton
N.J., and 50 years of happy married
life.
Especially meritorious in this
volume are the descriptions of
the numerous characters, of epi-
sodes about the people among
whom he lived—his family, the
Jewish artisans and tradesmen,
the synagogue leaders, the holi-
day celebrations.
The yarids—the experiences on
the markets—and the non-Jews in
their relations to Jews, the War-
shilovska and the Vinitza and many
other Jews and Christians, the vari-
ous methods of doing business, re-
sort to vodka by the peasants, the
police—these and many other ex-
periences make this a truly impres-
sive description of life in the old
world. And the transformation to
this country adds to the adventure:
for this is what this account may
well be called: an adventure.
Charnofsky has mastered Eng-
lish, enabling him to narrate "Jew-
ish Life in the Ukraine" with skill.
Born in 1890, with no opportunities
to acquire a f o r m a 1 education
through schooling, he has never-
theless attained knowledge through
his interesting experiences. He
came to this country at the age of
14 and his recollections- of a life
in an area that has been destroyed
remains vivid. He now enjoys life
with three generations of offspring
in Lbs Angeles.
Harry Lang, former editor of the
Jewish Daily Forward, who now
also resides in Los Angeles, has
written a moving tribute to Char-
nofsky in a preface to the book.
Praising his work Lang states:
"Mr. Charnofsky's de t a i l i n g,
through pen portraits, of the way
of life of the Jew amidst the peas-
ants in the villages and hamlets of
the Ukraine has historic value.
Backstage are the two cultures,
far apart in language, song, pray-
ers, f o 1 k 1 o r e, religious vision,
spiritual heritage, traditional cus-
toms, mode of living, even eating
habits and behavior. There are bit-
ter clashes, and the Jew is forever
the victim of pogroms, yet during
the intervals a sort of friendship
exists . . ."
Sholem Aleichem Institute
Presents A Repeat Performance of
THE ORIGIN OF THE YIDDISH THEATRE
by the
Sholem Aleichem Theatre League
and Sholem Aleichem Choral Group
Under the direction of Moshe Hoar
SUNDAY, MARCH 27, 1966-8:30 P.M.
At the Institute — 19350 Greenfield Rd.
Tickets Obtainable at the Door
Donation $2.00
All Are Welcome
In Commemoration with the 65th Jubilee of W. C.
THE WORKMEN'S CIRCLE OF DETROIT
• presents
MORT FREEMAN SHIFRA LERER 4ERSCHEL GENDEL POLA KADISON
Baritone
Folk Singer
Humorist
Pianist
in a program of
YIDDISH THEATRE — HUMOR — SONGS
featuring
"THE GOLDEN TREASURE"
A Musical Playlet by Wolf Younin
Under Direction of David Licht
followed by selected solos — duets — monologues
SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 1966 — 8:30 P.M.
JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER
Aaron DeRoy Theatre
18100 Meyers Road
Tickets: $2.00 — Available at
W. C. CENTER, 18340 W. Seven Mile Road
BORENSTEIN'S BOOK STORE, 13535 W. Seven Mile Road
KE 7-5440
DI 1-0569